RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court
today BRYANT WILLIAM REED, 30, of Wilson, North Carolina pled guilty before United States
District Judge Terrence W. Boyle, to conspiring to commit Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of Title
18, United States Code, Section 1951; use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime
of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A); and unlawful
possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section
922(g)(1).

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on
September 18, 2008.

On August 10, 2007, Ali’s Convenient Mart in Wilson, North
Carolina, was robbed. The robber entered the store and, while
putting a gun to the store clerk’s neck, took money from the cash
register drawer and then took the surveillance tape from the
machine. The robber forced the store clerk into the bathroom and
closed the door. The robber then fired one shot through the
bathroom door before leaving the store. Also, on August 15, 2008,
REED was found in possession of ammunition despite being a
previously convicted felon.

Mr. Holding commented, “We applaud the work of the ATF and the
Wilson Police Department in this case. A dangerous felon has been
removed from our streets because of their work.”

The maximum penalty for conspiring to commit Hobbs Act robbery
is up to 20 years imprisonment followed by three years of
supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. For the charge of
use and carry of a firearm during a crime of violence, the maximum
penalty is up to a term of life imprisonment followed by five years
of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. For being a
convicted felon with unlawful possession of a ammunition, the
maximum penalty is up to 10 years imprisonment followed by up to
three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which encourages federal, state, and
local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders
who continually plague their communities.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wilson Police
Department. Assistant United States Attorney William Gilmore served as prosecutor for the
government.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at
www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.

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